Data management is the process of controlling the information generated during a research project. Research projects across disciplines result in data. Data is an expensive and vital component of a research project and managing that data appropriately ensures that the data can be accessed and used in the future.

Data Management throughout the data lifecycle is important for three main reasons:

1. It ensure research data and records are accurate and complete making data understandable to people outside the project.

2. Data management and public access to data is a requirement of federal grant and funding bodies.

3. Publishers are also now requiring data to be publicly available.

Managing your data from the beginning of the research project will save you time and effort later on.

The Research Data Management Lifecycle

As data moves through the Research Data Management Lifecycle, researchers need to consider:

How will the data be collected and organized?

How will we document our research data and processes?

What privacy concerns or access rights do we need to consider?

Where should I submit my data for archiving, preservation and public access?

Funder Requirements

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 describes the administrative requirements for grants and proposals awarded to institutions of higher education, hospitals and other non-profit organizations. In 1999, Circular A-110 was revised to include a data sharing component under the provision of the Freedom of Information Act which requires grantees to provide access to research data funded by the federal government in a timely manner. See Public Access Policies for more detailed information about agency requirements.

Data management is the process of controlling the information generated during a research project. Research projects across disciplines result in data. Data is an expensive and vital component of a research project and managing that data appropriately ensures that the data can be accessed and used in the future.

Data Management throughout the data lifecycle is important for three main reasons:

1. It ensure research data and records are accurate and complete making data understandable to people outside the project.

2. Data management and public access to data is a requirement of federal grant and funding bodies.

3. Publishers are also now requiring data to be publicly available.

Managing your data from the beginning of the research project will save you time and effort later on.

The Research Data Management Lifecycle

As data moves through the Research Data Management Lifecycle, researchers need to consider:

How will the data be collected and organized?

How will we document our research data and processes?

What privacy concerns or access rights do we need to consider?

Where should I submit my data for archiving, preservation and public access?

Funder Requirements

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 describes the administrative requirements for grants and proposals awarded to institutions of higher education, hospitals and other non-profit organizations. In 1999, Circular A-110 was revised to include a data sharing component under the provision of the Freedom of Information Act which requires grantees to provide access to research data funded by the federal government in a timely manner. See Public Access Policies for more detailed information about agency requirements.